In any area of intensive farming, whether it is cattle, pigs, poultry, fish or shrimps, a good total hygiene plan is of major importance. Both good cleaning and disinfection are a necessity to prevent disease problems.

Halamid® has already for a number of decades proven its reliability as a disinfectant in the farming of cattle, pigs and poultry.

In the last decade Halamid® is used more and more as the disinfectant in the farming of trout, salmon, sea-bass, sea-bream, turbot, etc. because of some of its unique properties. Its mild effects on fish, no build up of resistance and its biodegradability. Also for the farming of shrimps, Halamid® offers the same unique properties. In all stages of fish and shrimp farming, whether hatchery, nursery or in the grow-out farm, Halamid® takes care that pathogenic microorganisms do not get a chance to create stress and reduce yields.

Halamid® is a universal disinfectant killing bacteria (Gram + as well as Gram -), viruses (naked as well as enveloped) and fungi. Halamid is safe, dependable, low toxic and readily biodegradable.

Hygiene is the weapon to prevent the carry-over of microorganisms. Proper cleaning and disinfection are amongst these measures. Disinfection is one of the most important measures for blocking microbial dispersal. This dispersal (spreading, carry-over) of microbial contaminations across the farm, or from one farm to the other can be caused by live material (fish, shrimp, eggs, broodstock, artemia, etc.) transferred from one tank/pond to the other within the farm or from outside. Visitors (boots !) and trucks entering the farm terrain can bring in microbial contaminations as well. The absence of hygienic discipline makes the employees the most important cause of microbial carry-over.

• Halamid® is the disinfectant active versus bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites and suitable to be used in many different areas.

• Its shelf-life is outstanding if properly stored: away from heat and moisture and in closed packaging.

• Halamid®'s stability makes it possible to store a stock solution of e.g. 5% for well over six months without any loss of activity.

• A Halamid® solution can be rinsed, sprayed or nebulized without any difficulty even at elevated temperatures.

• Halamid® is safe to handle as powder as well as in aqueous solution. Halamid® is not corrosive, so safe for your equipment.

• Halamid® is readily biodegradable, has none of typical chlorine properties, so safe to the environment.

• Halamid® is the registered trade mark for sodium N--chloro-paratoluenesulfonamide trihydrate. This product is also known under the name Chloramine-T.

Molecular formula: C₇H₇CINNaO₂S3^,H₂0

 MICROBIOCIDAL ACTIVITY

Halamid® is effective versus the whole range of micro-organisms, including Gram-negative and Gram positive bacteria, fungi and naked as well as enveloped viruses. Many disinfectants have no activity versus so-called naked viruses at all.

Halamid® is a unique disinfectant with a mode of action unlike any other disinfectant. Its mechanism is triggered in an aqueous solution by the presence of micro-organisms. Activity is released in proportion to the demand and penetrate the cell walls of the micro-organisms concerned, leading to their destruction without the risk of a resistance-build-up. What matters is the right strength and the proper time of exposure.

International testing confirms above claims and establishes Halamid® as an all-round and highly versatile disinfectant.

Some specific aquaculture related microorganisms to which Halamid® has proven to be effective are:

Bacteria

• Yersinia ruckerii
• Vibrio parahaemolyticus
• Vibrio alginolyticus
• Vibrio anquillarum
• Vibrio harveyi
• Vibrio salmonicida
• Aeromonas salmonicida
• Escherichia coli
• Flexibacter maritimus
• Salmonella typhimurium
• Bacillus subtilus spores

Viruses

• Infectious Pancreatic Necrosis virus

Fungi

• Aspergilus fumigatus
• Trichphyton equinum

Parasites

• Gyrodactilus salaris
• Epistylis
• lchthyobodo necator
• lchtyophthirius multifilis

This means that one product can cover all possible microbial contaminations at the aquaculture farm all the time.

The total range of activity of Halamid is much wider. Please consult our distributor or sales office, should you wish information about specific micro-organisms, not mentioned here.

In aquaculture disinfection is split in two different applications:

Surface disinfection is carried out after thorough cleaning. In many countries there is a tradition to combine cleaning and disinfection. Halamid® can likewise be dissolved in a solution of a preferably neutral- detergent (pH between 6-8). It should be borne in mind that most of the times a one-step treatment is only partially successful. Best results are attained if "dirt" (interfering proteins and encapsulating fatty matter) is first removed so that the disinfectant is able to have an optimum contact with the micro-organisms still clinging to the surfaces thus treated.

Halamid® can be rinsed, brushed, mopped or sprayed. Spraying devices should use a pressure below 10 bar to produce coarse droplets. This avoids the risk of inhalation and promotes a proper distribution of the active solution. Non-porous surfaces require at least 150 ml of fluid per M2. Higher temperatures of the disinfecting solution are only useful if the materials to be treated are allowed to adopt these temperatures themselves (e.g. in laundering). Allow the treated surface to dry to the air.

Water disinfection is done to bring or keep the microbial quality of the water to a certain desired level, by simply adding Halamid to the water in the required amount. This is the application where Halamid shows one of its unique properties: the simple applications and the broad range activity combined with the low toxicity of Halamid to fish and shrimps. This means Halamid can be used both for water pre-conditioning (without fish or shrimps in the water) and water quality maintenance.(in the presence of fish or shrimps) This is the best way to grow strong and healthy animals in each stage, resulting in reduced mortalities and increased profits.